


they say a bad girl will shatter your world, drive you insane

by sheg0



Series: they say a bad girl [1]
Category: Victorious
Genre: F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-25
Updated: 2014-08-25
Packaged: 2018-02-14 14:36:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 16,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2195532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheg0/pseuds/sheg0
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tori needs to seem more mature for an audition and decides it's time to take a real risk. And what is more dangerous than dating the girl who used to hate your guts? Based on the episode 'The Gorilla Club'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story has been published in another site under a different pseudonym, so if you've already read it, don't be alarmed, no one is stealing it. I've just rewritten it and decided I liked it well enough to be on this site. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy and feel free to leave your thoughts at the end, I'd love that!
> 
> Disclaimer: Victorious is the property of Nickelodeon, and is not my intellectual property. This is for entertainment purposes only.

1.

 

"Well?" Tori asks earnestly when she finishes the scene. Cat, Andre and Sickowitz stare at her blankly. She's hopeful—this time she's sure she got it right.

Until they all burst into laughter.

"Aw man…"

Andre clutches at his stomach and Cat falls from her chair onto the floor in a fit of giggles. Tori crosses her arms and glares at Sickowitz who, despite of being a teacher and an adult, is laughing harder than anyone.

"Oh Tori… that was a nice try, definitely," he says, wiping a tear. "But it's going to take something way more risky than whatever you did to get this scene right."

"B-but I did the Gorilla Challenge! I got the  _banana_!" Tori points a finger at herself, then throws her hands in the air in exasperation. "What else do I have to do?"

"Maybe you could try somethin' real, ya know? Outside of a club," Andre offers.

"What, you want me to jump out of a plane?"

A thoughtful expression crosses Sickowitz's face.

"I was kidding!" Tori replies, panicked.

"Look, Tori. What you need is to feel more emotional risk than physical. Being an actor is about putting your emotions on the table and playing with them. You need to experience that," Sickowitz explains wisely. "You need to feel more mature, take a real risk. Maybe do something your parents wouldn’t approve of."

Tori worries her lip nervously. What is she supposed to do? She can't just get a tattoo or steal a car because of a stupid audition. Defeated, she makes her way to her seat and plops on it with a long whine.

Cat pouts and taps her head softly.

 

 

A short while later, Tori sits at their lunch table, munching half-heartedly on her pizza slice while everyone throws ideas at her.

"You could go to one of Northridge's parties; it doesn't get dirtier than that," Robbie says.

"I know another way to get down and dirty, sweet cheeks," Rex interrupts.

"Ew!" Tori says between a mouthful.

"You should go skinny dipping," Jade comments. " _Oh no, not Sweet Tori me, I don't do those things!_ "

"For the last time _, I don't talk like that_!"

"One time, my brother threw my hamster in our neighbor's pool to see if it would float," Cat chirps. She frowns deeply at her salad. "But it was empty."

Now Tori is a little horrified.

"Mh!" Andre mumbles as he swallows a fry. "I know! You could try datin' a bad guy. Ya know, one of those guys with skinny jeans and leather jackets and a bad 'tude."

Tori ponders it for a moment. "No…" she whines. "I dated Ryder remember? He was a real ass."

"Or," Beck snaps calling everyone's attention, "maybe what you need is to date a bad  _girl_."

Everyone is silent after that.

" _What?_ " Jade spits.

"It's a new experience," Beck explains eagerly. " it would bring new feelings out of you and set you on edge, just what you need for your audition."

"You just want to see her macking on another girl," Jade sneer her voice dripping with jealousy.

"I don't see why you'd care," Beck replies coolly. Jade scoffs.

"I dunno, sounds like a good idea to me," Andre adds, his eyes glazing over slightly.

"But where will you find a bad girl?" Cat wonders aloud. "Oh I know! Sickowitz said bus stations are a good place to find them!"

"I don't think that's the kind of girl we're thinking of, Cat," Robbie explains gently.

"Oh." She twirls a red lock of hair with a pout.

"Now wait a minute!" Tori finally snaps, cutting them off. She puts her hands up, looking at them with wide eyes. "When did you become the one's deciding what I'm doing? Don't I have a say in this?"

Everyone looks at her, questioning. Tori stutters.

"What if- if I don't want to date a girl? Has anyone thought about that?"

"Do you?" Andre asks.

"No!" She answers, then realizes that could've sounded a little homophobic. "I mean, maybe I would. I don't know, I haven't thought about it."

"Is this a "what-will-they-say" kind of thing? Because this is  _an Art School in Los Angeles_ , there are more than 10 gay couples out in this school and no one even bats an eyelash." Everyone nods at Beck's statement.

"Yeah!" Robbie agrees. "Mike and Michael are really nice to me. They always recommend me new brands of Male Make-up."

"I know  _that_ , it's not-" Tori sighs, "do you guys really think that'll help me be more risky?"

There's a chorus of "yeah"s and "definitely"s, all but one person who keeps quietly staring at her black nails.

"Okay, fine. I'll think about it."

 

 

Tori thinks about it all night long.

Is she against the idea of dating a girl? No, not really. Her parents had raised her with an open mind and the certainty that love is love, no matter the gender, race or beliefs.

And this is L.A. She knows there're girls who would be interested in casually dating her; hell, she has been hit on by girls more than once. She always brushed it off good-naturedly because she wasn't interested in having a relationship, or was in one at the moment, but she thinks that yeah, maybe she could see herself going on a date with a girl, holding her hand and kissing her.

Damn, she's getting excited thinking about it; after all, it's been long since she's had any action at all.

But this is not about pleasure, this is about her audition. Does any girl meet the requirements? Bad attitude, her parents wouldn't approve, risky, attractive– because she's a teenager and she's a bit superficial, sue her– and of course: interested in girls.

She tosses and turns in bed. There has to be someone.

 

 

The thought strikes her during Mr. Gradstein's boring lecture.

Jade is sitting across from her, attentive and interested for once, but Tori guesses that it's only to be expected; scriptwritting is Jade's passion. She's hunched over her notebook, blue pen in hand, taking notes furiously, when a lock of raven hair escapes from behind her ear.

She pushes it back, annoyed, because it covers her notes and Tori follows the path of her pale hand as she winds it through her hair and brushes it over her other shoulder, exposing a large expanse of pale white skin and giving Tori a peek at that elusive tattoo on the back of her neck. She's never seen it properly; she doubts anyone apart from herself, the tattoo artist, and Beck has.

The emerald green streaks make a nice contrast against her black hair and are a good combination with her black dress. It has little purple and green details and Tori has to admit, it has to be one of her favorites.

Jade taps her fingers on the table, her black polished nails making a clicking sound that no one seems to notice. It makes Tori’s teeth clench, for whatever reason. The gothic girl uncrosses and crosses her legs again under the table, and her black combat boots squeak against the floor.

 _So annoying_ , Tori thinks.

Yet she can't avert her eyes.

It's when Jade drops her pen and leans back, stretching her spine, that Tori realizes the class is over and she's been staring unabashedly at her for the most part of it.

Jade gathers her things and slips on her leather jacket, while Tori stays frozen in place. She walks past Tori on her way out and looks at her curiously.

"Close your mouth, Vega. Gaping-frog-waiting-for-flies is not a good look on you," she drawls. And without further ado, she drags herself out of the room.

Tori snaps her mouth shut with a loud click and forces herself to leave the room.

 _Aw man_ , she thinks.

It's been in front of her all this time.

Female, check.

Bad attitude, check.

Her parents wouldn't approve, double check.

Risky, well, Jade's probably deadly so triple check.

Open to dating girls, unknown.

Attractive, …

"Dang it all to hell!" Tori mutters to herself as she stomps her feet angrily.

… check.

 

 

She doesn't dare voice it until days after.

"Serioulsy?" Andre asks raising his eyebrow and crossing his arms. He looks somewhat pissed and Tori doesn't get why.

"What?" Tori asks.

"Remember when I told ya I thought I'd fallen in love with her and you got all up in my face about how I was nuts?" Tori nods guiltily. "Pot. Kettle. Black."

"I know, okay, I know!" She whines. "But she had a boyfriend then and it wasn't nice to Beck, you know that."

"Oh,  _oh_ ," he raises his hands theatrically. "So now that she's free it's okay. It ain't a sign of needin' a mental institution, right?"

Tori sighs, dropping her head back so it clangs against her locker. "No… it's totally still a sign of insanity."

Andre breathes out his last trace of resentment and drapes an arm around his best friend. "So why'd you ' _think you have to date Jade_ '?" He quotes her.

"Remember what we were talking the other day at lunch?"

Andre frowns before his eyes widen comically as the puzzle pieces click. "The audition?"

Tori nods, her lip trapped between her teeth. Andre shakes his head like this is the worst idea she's ever heard.

"I've thought about it and you were right, it  _is_  a good idea. I’m open to it, like, for real. I want to… you know, discover things about myself. Mature.”

“Okay, I get that,” Andre says with a nod. “But, _Jade_? Can’t you find yourself a cute, gay girl who’s a bad influence but not, you know, _evil incarnate_?”

Tori rolls her eyes, “oh, come on, Jade’s not _that_ bad.”

And she’s not, hasn’t been for a while. She’s brash, sure, scary as hell, too, but both Tori and Andre have seen a much more human side to her, and they both know she can be sweet at times. Very few and far in between and in her own unique, Jade-like way, but sweet nevertheless. And when Jade West is sweet _to you_ , well, it feels pretty damn good.

“She’s difficult, she has a bad attitude, talking to her is a daily risk," Tori continues, "she's perfect for the role."

And even when she’s being impossible, even when she’s cold and cutting, snarky and plain mean, Jade’s familiar. _Better the devil you know_ and all that.

"So, lemme get this straight; you don't even like her?"

Tori shifts uncomfortably, her grip on her super-sized purse tightening as a blush covers her cheeks. It's not her fault that since her epiphany in Mr. Gradstein's class her dreams have been taking a wild turn to the unexplored world of Sapphic love and Jade's been the protagonist of them all. It's not like she can control them. She’s always thought she was appreciative of the female form on a healthy level, but since the simple idea of Jade as a possible dating interest infected her mind, she’s found herself watching more intently and purposely. So far, Tori’s realized she’s quite a fan of the femenine curves and of those, well, Jade has for days.

"Holy cheese on a cracker," Andre mutters.

As if on cue, Jade strolls past them, cutting the very tips of her hair with a pair of huge, shiny scissors. And Tori stares; she doesn't mean to but she can't really help it. She stares at the way her black corset hugs her upper half so snugly and with a deep blush, she stares at the way Jade's hips sway under her skirt.

When Jade notices them staring she stops and snaps the scissors a couple times.

"What?" She barks at them so hard, they both jump a foot into the air. Then she shakes her head, annoyed, and keeps on walking.

"Well, buddy," Andre pats her back, still a bit in shock, "good luck with that. You're gonna need it."

And Tori knows. Boy, does she know.

 

 

"Hey, Beck."

"Hi, Tori. How are you this fine d-aaaaaaah!" Beck yelps as Tori grabs his wrist and drags him into the janitor's closet. She closes the door and wrings her hands together nervously.

"I need to ask you something."

"Jeez, you could've asked." He rubs at his wrist with a pout. "Who knew you were so strong…" he mutters.

"Beck, this is important, you are the only person I could think of to ask this," Tori says seriously.

Beck nods. "Sure. Okay, what?"

"Has… has Jade ever mentioned… uhm, has Jade… do you think- what- what- uh…" she stops, takes a deep breath and plucks up her courage, "do you think Jade would ever be interested in dating a girl?"

Beck's eyes widen a little, but apart from that his reaction is mostly guarded. "Why… do you want to know?"

Tori worries her lip nervously. She knows this is  _so not fair_  of her to ask Beck, he's Jade's ex-boyfriend for God's sake! She doubts he wants to hear about her plans of dating his ex with the purpose of taking an emotional risk or about how she's confused whether or not that's the only reason she's considering it anymore.

"I… thought about what you said at lunch the other day-"

"But I didn't mean with Jade!" He cries, crossing his arms.

"I know, I know, but you have to admit she's the perfect choice if I want to get risky," Tori shrugs and Beck has to give her that at least.

They are both silent for a moment.

"You still love her," Tori affirms. She knew, of course she knew. She's just  _really_  realizing now.

Beck shrugs. "Well, she was my first and only girlfriend, it takes time to get over that." He brushes his hair back. "But she's free to do whatever she wants. And so are you. I have no say in it. I just… I don't like it. As weird as it sounds, because Jade can take care of herself well enough, I don't like you using her for your audition."

"No, this is not- I mean, yeah, okay it is." Tori admits. "But… it's more than that?"

"Are you asking me?"

"No, no." She shakes her head. "I'm- I- there's an  _attraction_  there," she answers carefully. More like curiosity, she reasons to herself; she’s open to some experimentation. Kill two birds in one stone and all that. After all, it’d be absolutely, batshit crazy, to like someone so mean and unstable as Jade West. Right? Right.

Beck looks at the ceiling and takes a deep breath. "Okay." He lifts the side of his mouth in an attempt of a smile and reaches for the door.

"Wait! You never told me if she… you know." Tori gestures with her hands.

Beck shrugs one shoulder. "Jade's bisexual."

Tori's eyes widen comically. "She is? How do you know?"

"Well, for one, she has a crush on Amy Lee. And Lights, you know, the  _Canadian_  singer, ironically. And two," he pauses, and chuckles a little, "she told me."

 

 

"Okay, this is it," she tells herself, her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Tori's been going over and over again through ways to ask Jade this without being punched in the face but so far she's come up empty-handed. It's a good thing she knows she can totally pull off a black eye. Hey, maybe  _that_  will make her seem risky.

What is she even thinking? Jade is obviously going to say no. She hates her, hates her guts since the day she walked into Hollywood Arts, and Tori doesn’t even know why. So maybe they’ve been getting along lately; Tori would even go as far as to say they are actually friends now, what with Jade showing up at her house whenever she needs help and other small hints that prove Jade is warming up to her, but this? This is definitely going to take their tentative friendship back to square one and Tori’s not sure she’s ready to recieve a cold coffee shower again.

A loud knock on the car window interrupts her. "Hey! What are you doing sitting there like a moron? You're going to make me late for class!" Trina yells.

She doesn't know how long she's been sitting in her sister's car since she parked it, but she knows Trina's right, she's going to make them late. She takes three consecutive deep breaths, like she's about to go on stage to perform, and steps out of the car.

 

 

She's staring at the creepy, scissor-filled locker door of the girl.

"Jade?"

"What?" The girl in question answers without taking her head out of the locker where she seems to be rearranging her books.

"I need to talk to you for a minute."

"Pass."

Tori rolls her eyes despite of her nervousness.

"It's important."

"Ugh." Jade shuts the locker door hard with a clang and she juts her hips out, looking bored. "Fine, but make it quick."

Tori grasps her wrist before thinking it twice and drags her into the janitor's room without much complaint on the other girl's part.

She closes the door and drops her purse, playing her next words in her mind under the impatient stare of her companion, who just crosses her arms, purses her lips and taps her boot-clad foot on the floor. No coffee cups in either hand, Tori notices. Good sign.

"Well?" Jade finally drawls.

"Uuh… remember the other day at the lunch table, when everyone was giving me ideas to be more risky for my audition?"

"Yeah?" Jade raises a pierced eye-brown questioningly.

"Well, Beck's idea kinda stuck."

"Stuck," Jade repeats.

"Yeah… it made me think. A lot. And well it- it is a good idea, but, uhm…"

Jade lets out a guffaw. "Little ol' Tori is confused?" She asks mockingly.

"I'm not  _confused_ ," she snaps crossing her arms defensively.

"So what's your problem, Vega?" Jade asks giving one step closer.

"I don't have a problem. I decided to do it. Date a girl. A bad girl."

Jade shrugs. "Whatever, good for you. Can I go now?" But she's already reaching for the door when she asks.

Tori side-steps her, blocking her path.

"Ugh, what now?"

"You see, Jade," Tori says carefully. Thus far this conversation hasn't gone at all how she expected, so she's going to have to come clean completely. "I was thinking of a girl that has a bad attitude, that my parents wouldn't accept, that could get me in trouble, that would keep me on edge…" Jade's eyes widen almost imperceptibly. Tori notices how green they look under this yellowish light. "And well, you- you came to mind, once or twice."

And then the strangest thing happens.

Jade grins. A wide, cheshire-cat like grin.

Tori's nape hairs rise on end.

"You want to date me," she states, her eyes twinkling like Tori just gave her an early Christmas present. "Oh, this is precious. Perfect, can-do-no-wrong, Tori Vega, wants something from me.”

Tori doesn’t answer, deciding to bite her tongue instead. Snapping at Jade won’t be beneficial for her cause. Jade keeps flashing that smug, self-satisfied smile and Tori can feel the rush of blood flooding her face; she's never been so embarrassed in her whole life.

Jade rounds on her like a predator and Tori just wants the earth to swallow her whole. Jade's so close that Tori can smell her perfume, and she feels faint. The smirking girl stops in front of her, her body just a few inches away. This is definitely not the first time they have invaded each other's personal space. It is the first time, though, that Jade notices how it affects her.

“God, I knew you had some kind of weird fixation with me, but…”

“That’s not- I don’t-“ Tori starts to argue.

"What makes you think I'd date you?" Jade cuts her off.

Tori shrugs weakly. "I don't know… I'm nice?"

"Yeah, and I'm not."

"Uh… well, I look a bit like Lights."

Jade recoils like she's been burned. "How-"

"Beck told me. Don't be mad at him," she pleads.

Jade purses her lips and Tori's eyes glance at it. She knows Jade’s mad because for a fleeting second, Tori has the upper hand; she’s been privy to something about Jade without her consent. Tori can see the cogs turning behind her eyes, can see her jaw clenching and her eyes narrowing. Now she’s sure she’s gonna say no. Or punch her. Or both.

But then her face relaxes and says: "Fine."

"Fine?"

"That's what I said, didn't I?"

"B-but what do you mean 'fine'?"

"What do you think I mean, Vega?"

"I- I-" Jade cuts her off as she grabs the front of her shirt, getting so dangerously close, Tori thinks she's going to pass out.

"You," she breathes, "can't handle me." Tori is at a loss. Her neurons are completely fried. "So this might be fun."

She cocks her pierced eyebrow, and before Tori has time to prepare herself to what's happening, Jade's lips are on hers for just a moment of scorching, hard pressure.

Dazed, she watches as Jade pulls back with a smirk, licks the corner of her upper lip and leaves the room without another word, looking smug as ever.

It takes Tori five more minutes to remember how to walk.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

 

"You _have_  to be kiddin' me."

Tori's sitting frozen at her kitchen's table, her palms on the surface and vacantly staring at the empty space. She's been on auto-pilot since her talk with Jade in the janitor's closet, but somehow managed to call Andre over and explain to him what happened.

He paces around the kitchen, not believing what he's hearing.

"Are you sure you didn't dream it?"

"No!" Tori snaps. "She just…" she gestures with her hands, still not able to say the words out loud.

"Well… that's good right?" Andre concedes. "That's what you wanted."

"I didn't really think she'd say yes!"

Andre scratches his stomach, making his way to the fridge. "Man, girl drama makes me hungry."

"Helpful!" Tori says sarcastically.

"I'm sorry! What'd you want me to say?" Andre grabs a yogurt and a spoon and starts inhaling it like a starving man. "I'm still stuck on the fact that Jade's lips touched your lips!"

Tori drops her head on the table with a groan. Her confusion has reached critical levels. She's so lost. This  _is_  what she wanted, right?  _Right_? What's she supposed to do now?

A knock on the front door interrupts her thoughts.

"Can you get that?" She mumbles pitifully, not raising her head from the table.

"Sure," Andre answers, happy to have something to distract him. But as he pulls the door open, he regrets the idea. "Uh, Tori?"

"Yeah?" At the lack of response, Tori raises her head finally, only to feel her heart start hammering in her chest like a drum and her stomach do a backflip. Jade's leaning on the doorframe, looking as gorgeous and terrifying as ever.

Tori gulps loudly. "J- Jade."

"Vega," Jade drawls, her tone deep and bored, and Tori knows she should’t find it so appealing but she does.

"Yeaaaah," Andre says awkwardly, "so I have to… be… someplace else right now, so, bye." He leaves in a hurry, yogurt and spoon still in hand.

Jade gives three, four, five deliberate and slow steps into her house, looking around the place like she hasn’t been there countless times. Tori finally manages to snap out of it and move. She doesn't go far, though. Being in close proximity with Jade doesn't seem like the best idea with how her body responded to the  _sight_  of her.

"Hi," Tori finally squeaks, an octave higher than her normal voice.

"Hi," Jade drawls again, with a smirk that says 'I-know-something-you-don't' and Tori can’t decide if she’s scared or stupidly attracted to her. Probably a bit of both.

"W-what are you doing here?"

Jade sighs. "There's a movie I want to watch." Tori nods slowly, not following. "So, grab your things. And some money, you're paying."

Finally Tori gets it. "W-we're going to the movies? Together?"

Jade frowns annoyed. "Don't sound so surprised, you were the one who asked me out." Tori just gapes like a fish, making Jade roll her eyes. "Well? Move it!" She barks.

"Okay!" Tori yells back.

Why did she think dating Jade would be a good idea? Her heart is hammering in her chest like she's never felt it before; it can't be healthy.

But hey, isn't that the point of this experience?

 

 

Tori watches wide-eyed as Jade shows the ticket guy a fake ID and convinces him that Tori is also old enough to watch the movie. She's breaking the law right now. It feels strangely refreshing, but she doesn't say it out loud because she knows Jade will make fun of her.

The movie turns out to be a gory movie of disproportionate levels.

Tori sits whimpering quietly, her hands covering her face, even though she keeps peeking through a gap between her fingers and regretting it every time. Jade at her side just chuckles.

"Aw, come on Vega, it's not that bad," she says just before the psychopath mutilates the poor woman laughing maniacally.

"Not that bad?" Tori squeaks, dropping her hands to look at Jade. There's a disgusting noise of ripped flesh and she buries her face on Jade's shoulder. She's never been more terrified in her whole life.

"Ugh, alright, come here." Jade grabs her chin with two fingers and bends her head until her lips are a breath away from Tori's. "Who knew you were such a wimp," she mumbles just before mashing their lips together. Tori's eyes go wide before they flutter closed and she melts into the kiss.

Oh, wow.

This is so much better than the one-second, hard kiss on the janitor's closet. This time she actually lets what's happening sink in. She feels everything: Jade's cold hand on her jaw, her pierced nose bumping against hers, her sweet breath against her mouth (she recalls Jade bought a bag of Gummy Bears), her perfect, pink lips sliding lazily against hers and her tongue, doing random appearances that make Tori's heart skip a beat every time.

_Oh my God_ , Tori thinks,  _I'm kissing Jade West._

In the back of a dark movie theatre, with the terrified cries of the murderer's victims as background noise. It's not something she expected doing in a million years, but she's here and it's happening and damn her if she's not enjoying it.

"Not bad," Jade mumbles. Tori's lost for a second before she realizes that Jade  _is rating her kissing skills_.

Not bad? Tori's offended. She's freaking  _fantastic_.

She tentatively reaches up and tangles her fingers through Jade's raven locks, grabbing the back of her neck first hesitantly, then firmly. Jade seems spurred by this; she breathes shallowly and kisses her more deeply. Tori lets out an involuntarily moan. Jade smirks against her mouth.

This whole dating Jade thing? Not a bad idea after all.

 

 

Tori's been on cloud nine all morning. Andre keeps looking at her worriedly and Cat has found her perfect companion.

"And then the bird jumped into the chocolate fountain," she explains excited, "and- and he just showered in chocolate! Can you imagine showering in chocolate?" She opens her arms and mouth wide, and in her mind she's totally in a liquid chocolate shower.

"That is  _so_  awesome." Tori answers excited.

"Is it?" Andre asks sarcastically at no one in particular.

"Aw someone put his grumpy pants on this morning by mistake," Tori sing-songs and Cat giggles.

"What did she do to you?" Andre looks at her with concern but Tori's attention is elsewhere. Jade just walked into the room, with Robbie and Sickowitz in tow and she follows her every movement intently. She's wearing tight black jeans, a gray t-shirt and a red plaid shirt. The sole of her boots squeak with each step.

Jade notices. She gives her a glance, her lips quirking the tiniest bit and it's enough for Tori to flush like a schoolgirl with a crush. Jade dumps her stuff on the floor and sits across from them. She sits back, arms crossed and lips pursed and she's angry Jade again.

Tori taps her pencil on her notebook as Sickowitz starts the class. She didn't really expect Jade to act totally different towards her just because they made out in the back of a movie theatre.

After the movie, Jade drove her home in silence. Tori wanted to say something but a) she was still a bit dazed and b) she didn't really know what. So she just bid her goodnight when they reached the Vega's residence to which Jade replied with a head nod.

She wonders how Beck did it, reading this girl, understanding what's going on in her head. Or maybe he didn't. Maybe he just went with the flow. She would ask him, but that would be too much. He still looks at her funny since their talk the other day.

"Toooriii," Sickowitz's voice snaps Tori out of her musings, just to realize the whole class is staring at her. Jade is looking at her too, eyebrows raised to her hairline, half-amused, half-annoyed.

"Sorry, what?"

"I asked if you wanted to read this short play over with Robbie." The other boy is already standing in front of the class and she stumbles up immediately.

"Sure." She reaches for the paper Sickowitz is offering her with a smile and he shakes his head amused.

 

 

" _Tell me that you love me, yeah,"_ Tori sings under her breath as she puts the things she doesn't need in her locker, " _tell me that I take your breath away."_

Someone materializes next to her. "You're off key."

She spins towards the voice with wide wounded eyes. "I am not!"

"Whatever," Jade sighs. "Give me your hand."

"What?" She asks because, did she hear wrong?

"Your hand, Vega," Jade repeats slowly like she's mentally challenged.

She closes her locker and hesitantly offers her hand to Jade. The gothic girl grabs it tightly and yanks her into the janitor's closet. Well, isn't this familiar?

This time, Jade is the one closing the door and dropping her stuff to the floor.

"We have class in-" the strident ring of the bell interrupts her, "now."

Jade shrugs. "So?"

"So? I don't want to be late!"

"Haven't you ever skipped a class?"

"No!"

Jade corners her against a shelf. "There's a first time for everything."

"But-"

"Do you  _want_  to take risks or not?"

Tori gulps and glances at the door quickly. Leave, go to class and keep her assistance record intact or stay and do… whatever it is Jade is planning to do.

Jade cocks her eyebrow in challenge and Tori is sucked into the magnetic pull of Jade's feline eyes.

Jeez, did she even  _have_  a choice to begin with?

 

 

Tori's never kissed someone for such a long time without taking a break.

Her lips are sore, her skin is all tingly and there are things happening in parts of her body she's never felt reacting.

One hour. One whole hour pinned between a hard, metal shelf and a warm, soft body. One hour and she's learned more kissing tricks she ever thought existed. She tries to catch up, make this as enjoyable for Jade as it is for her but that girl is  _such a top_. Whenever she thinks she has the upper hand, Jade just does something new, takes it up a notch and like a switch that flips, Tori's knees are buckling and Jade is left chuckling at her and holding her up by the waist.

She laughed at her. She  _actually_  did.

Tori flushes at the thought; Jade is still so mean. Her favourite sport is still humiliating her, even if it's by kissing her stupid; literally.

"Wow, JBF hair much?" Trina asks when she reaches the car and climbs in. Tori looks at her questioningly. "JBF? Just been fucked? What kind of teenager are you?" Trina scoffs.

"I don't-" she brushes her hair frantically with her hands, trying to tame the mess Jade left. "Just drive!" She snaps.

_Stupid, stupid, Jade!_

 

A name that rarely flashes on her PearPhone is doing just that right now.

It's a boring Saturday afternoon and after calling Andre to give him a general update (not the details, those memories are only for her own enjoyment) and hearing him freak out and hyperventilate, Tori asked him if he had any plans for tonight. Andre said that he and Robbie were going to study for next week's History exam at Beck's RV and asked her if she wanted to come. She accepted, of course, because she sucks at History.

But now she's sitting on her couch, bag with books and notes packed and ready to leave, and her phone is flashing the name that's been driving her crazy all week.

"Hello?" She answer tentatively.

"Finally! I could've gone and gotten a law degree while you answered your phone," Jade says annoyed.

"S-sorry, I'm- uh- I was packing my things. I'm going to Beck's with Robbie and Andre to study for the History test."

"What?" Jade barks. "No, you're not."

"What do you mean 'I'm not'?"

"It's Saturday. We're going out tonight. A friend's band is playing at this club and I want to go."

"Can't you go alone? I have to study. And so do you, you know?"

"Tori," Jade says with a sigh and Tori's shoulders drop like a dead weight at the seriousness in Jade's voice. It's not everyday that she hears that tone from the girl, much less her first name. "Don’t you want to know what it feels like to do the  _wrong_  thing? What it feels like to be _bad_? Don’t you want to improve your acting and ace that audition? Plus, the test's on Wednesday, we have a couple days to study."

Tori knows Jade's manipulating her, telling her what she wants to hear, reminding her why she's doing this, why she  _wants_  to do this. But for the first time, Tori can't find it in herself to care. What Jade says sounds really nice. It's not her fault that the promise of Jade's company only adds appeal to the plan.

"I can't get into a club, I'm not 21," Tori argues weakly.

"Oh, but you are." Tori can hear the smirk on Jade's voice. "You're actually 22. It says it right here in your brand new, fake ID."

"You got me a fake ID?" Tori doesn't know if she wants to be angry or touched.

"I can't date someone that can't get into an R rated movie, Vega," Jade deadpans.

Tori gulps hard at Jade's casual admission. It's still mind-blowing the thought that she's dating Jade. Sometimes it feels more like Jade is having fun with her, and she's just going along for the ride.

"I wish you would've asked at least," Tori mumbles.

Jade lets out a laugh. "Where's the fun in that?"

 

 

"We're breaking at least 3 laws," Tori stammers as Jade hands her a beer. The black-haired girl rolls her eyes, leans back on the bar and sips from her own bottle.

Tori feels her piercing blue eyes raking all over her and she gulps down the bitter drink nervously.

"You look good," Jade comments off-handedly. Tori chokes a bit on her beer. She looks down at herself; she's wearing a dark purple dress with a black, thin jacket and high heeled boots, her long, tan legs on display. She added a leather bracelet to make her seem more edgy. This is the kind of club  _Jade_  goes to, she doesn't want to look out of place.

"Thanks?"

"It was a compliment, Vega," Jade reassures her.

"Then, thank you," she nods with an easy smile. "You look great too."

Jade's all in black: tights, long shirt, boots, leather jacket. She's wearing a couple of long necklaces and bracelets to top the outfit. Electric blue extensions curl together with her raven hair, that falls naturally around her shoulders.

_Damn,_  Tori thinks. She's dressed so simple and she's looking so stunning.  _Damn her._

"I know," Jade replies like it’s painfully obvious. Tori rolls her eyes, even though Jade's cockiness doesn't bother her that much. It's actually kind of sexy. "Finish your beer and I'll get you another."

Tori doesn't question her; it's time she stops doing that. Tonight is about going wild and she has the best person for this job at her side. Plus, she trusts Jade. She might be a pain in the ass and enjoy making her squirm but she wouldn't let anything happen to her. She knows that.

So she gulps the rest of the beer back in three gulps.

And Tori would be lying if she said it doesn't stroke her ego when Jade looks impressed.

 

 

Tori's never really liked this music.

Well, no, correction: she's never payed attention to this music.

And she doesn't know if it's the three (was it three or four?) beers in her system or the way Jade's pressed snugly against her back, hands over their heads and rocking to the song, but Tori's sure this is the best band in the world.

"What are they called again?" Tori shouts over the music.

"Silence Circus!" Jade answers grinning. She wraps one arm around Tori's waist and pulls her even closer, leaning into her hear. She might not be as intoxicated as Tori, but Jade’s been getting more and more tactile as the night progressed and Tori’s thoroughly enjoying it. "Do you like it?"

Tori's not sure what she's asking. Does she like what? The way Jade's hand splays over her stomach? Then, definitely. Her warm breath tickling her ear? Hell yes. The music? Yeah, sure.

So she just nods, then drops her head back against Jade's shoulder and let's the husky voice of the female singer and the strums of the electric guitars flow through her. Jade grins at her state.

"You're so drunk." She doesn't need to shout it because her face is just next to Tori's.

The brunette shakes her head from side to side and woah, the lights of the ceiling are twinkling at her. The song finishes and a new one starts.

"You  _so_  are, Vega," Jade answers, still holding her tightly. "Lightweight."

The frantic beat of the drums is making Tori's body shake. She's never felt so many things at the same time.

"I'm great!" She shouts, then turns into Jade's arms. "Never felt better!"

It's the first time Tori takes the initiative in kissing Jade and it takes her a little by surprise. She finds herself with an armful of Tori Vega, arms wound tightly around her neck and mouth hot and urgent against hers. So Jade grips tightly at the back of Tori's dress and kisses back just as hard. And it might be dark and people keep bumping into them and the lights are dizzing and their hearts are going to burst out of their chests from the adrenaline, but Tori can't complain.

She's never felt more alive.

 

 

How she ended up straddling Jade in the back seat of her car, she's not sure. But the alcohol is still pumping through her veins and making all her hesitation and second-guessing disappear. For once, Tori's the one in control.

Her lips are insistent and demanding, crashing against Jade's again and again, and she's breathing hard through her nose. Jade's hands are on her thighs and she's biting her lip hard and soothing it with her tongue and god, it's so hot in here.

Without losing contact with Jade's lips, she forcefully pushes her jacket off her shoulders, bunches it up and throws it away, not really caring where it lands. As her skin cools off, her hands start to wander. She drags her left hand from Jade's neck down her collarbone and chest, cupping Jade's breast almost like she got there by mistake.

Jade's breathing gets shallower and Tori feels her pulse pick up at her neck. But before Tori can ask if it's okay, Jade speaks.

"Damn, you learn fast." There's a rawness in her voice and Tori smirks because she caused it. She's making Jade West breathless.

She squeezes and Jade moans and then there's teeth and tongue and hands and Tori's never been happier she's probably going to fail History.

 

 

Eventually, Jade gently pushes her off, telling her it’s time she drove her home. Tori almost argues, says that she wants to keep going, wants to keep pulling those wild noises from Jade’s mouth, just plain _wants_. But she’s drunk and Jade is not completely sober either and how much would she regret going further in this state, in the back of a car? And of course, there’s the audition; the reason why she and Jade are doing this. Sneaking into a club, skipping class together, kissing in the back of a movie theatre while an R rated movie is playing, Tori has to keep reminding herself these are just experiences that Jade is helping her live. Experiences that will give her all these raw and new feelings that she’ll use when she’s acting. It’s method, really. So she pulls back and swallows down her disappointment.

Jade drives her home, after a short fight about whether or not she’s capable of doing so. She is and she does and Tori pouts all the way home, just because she lost the argument.

"Drink a lot of water and take painkillers with you to your room. You're gonna need them tomorrow," Jade says as they park in front of the Vega's.

"I'm not that drunk," Tori mumbles.

Jade purses her lips, her hands still on the steering wheel. "Just do it, Vega, okay?"

Tori rolls her eyes. "Fine." Then she smiles a little. "I had fun."

Jade chuckles glancing at the back seat. "Bet you did."

A blush covers Tori's cheeks and she punches Jade in the shoulder weakly.

Jade gasps, “Did you just punch me?" Tori would be scared if it wasn't for the amused twinkle in Jade's eyes.

"You keep making fun of me," Tori whines.

Jade scoffs. "You can take it," she answers. Icy-blue eyes turn to her with a burning intensity and Tori shifts in her seat. A smirk blossoms in Jade's face. "What can I say? I like making you squirm."

There are so many ways Tori could interpret that and oh, her head is already going to places she's never been before; dangerous places.

_What are you doing to me?_  She thinks.

"Uhm, so, I'm gonna go," she points outside with her thumb and Jade smiles knowingly.

"Okay. Goodnight."

"Right, goodnight." She fumbles with the doorknob and stumbles out, tripping on her own feet and holding herself up on the door. "I'm fine! I'm okay, I'm okay."

"Sure you are," Jade mumbles amused.

"Night, Jade."

"Night, Tori."

She stands at her front door, watching Jade back away with her car until she disappears around the corner.

She doesn't want to let herself be disappointed that she never got a goodnight kiss, but she can't help it.


	3. Chapter 3

3.

 

_What are you up to?_ -Jade West

Tori reads the text with her lips trapped between her teeth. It's Tuesday afternoon, the dreaded History exam is the next morning and she has barely studied.

Sunday she woke up with her very first hangover. Thankfully she had listened to Jade and put some water and painkillers on her nightstand. She gulped down the whole water bottle, sent a quick text to Jade, swearing she was never drinking again and crawled back to bed to sleep it off.

That first text opened another door to their relationship and all through Sunday night and Monday, her phone had been chirping with new messages that kept distracting her from her study time. Okay, so she texted back, but she can't help it if the girl manages to rile her up even via text. It would start as a random comment about whatever tickled Jade's fancy at the moment– Tori is learning the surprising broad range of interests of the girl– that would soon become back and forth bickering until Tori realized hours had gone by.

She shakes her head resolutely and texts back.

_No, Jade. I'm studying. Whatever plan to distract me you had today, is going to have to wait._

She hits send and waits, hoping it's going to be enough to shut her up because she knows that if Jade keeps insisting, she'll give in. She'll always give in to her.

_Don't get your Hello Kitty panties in a bunch, Vega, I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to study together._ -Jade West

Oh, Tori thinks. That's… nice of her. Suspiciously so.

_Are you serious? Because some help would be nice, but I actually plan to study. No funny business._

The reply comes immediately.

_No funny business. Be there in 10_. -Jade West

Tori's eyes widen. She starts waving her hands around frantically before putting her PearPhone down and running to her bathroom to check her appearance. Just because they are going to study doesn't mean she doesn't want to look nice. She brushes her hair, puts on some lip-gloss, smoothes her t-shirt down, and checks how her ass looks in her sweats in the mirror, for some unknown reason. Her eyes then fix on her chest and she almost curses out loud when she realizes she's not wearing a bra.

In her haste, Tori stubs her toe on the door frame on her way out of the bathroom.

"Shhh-oot" she says instead of the curse that wants to leave her mouth. Trina, who was on her way to the bathroom herself, watches her unimpressed as she limps towards her bedroom.

"God, was it that hard to give me a sister who wasn't a weirdo?" She asks to the ceiling exasperated.

Tori puts on her nicest bra, again, for some unknown reason, and throws on a new t-shirt even though the other one was clean too. Her room is not terribly messy but she still freaks out as she throws the few scattered clothes in the laundry basket, and remakes her bed.

By the time she's done, her mom is opening the door downstairs. She hears Jade explaining the reason of her visit and Holly sending her up. In a last minute decision, Tori grabs the teddy bear on her bed and throws it into her closet.

"I'm so sorry Lieutenant Teddy, but if Jade sees you, I'll never hear the end of it."

There's a knock on her door and Tori spins on her heels, with a deer-caught-in-headlights expression. Jade looks at her strangely and she chuckles awkwardly.

"Uh, come in."

"Who were you talking to?"

"No one!" Tori squeaks.

"Alright…" Jade makes a bee-line to Tori's bed and sits with her bag at her feet. She rummages through it for a moment and takes out her History book and her notes. Tori stays still, entranced with the strange sight that is Jade West, with her dark jeans and red vest and blood red boots, sitting on her purple and green comforter. It's a bit unnerving, knowing Jade has been here already, going through her stuff and doing God knows what, and a lot exciting, even with the idea that all they are going to do is study.

Jade turns to her slowly and frowns. "Are you gonna study standing up?"

Tori shakes her head and takes a sit at her desk chair. She grabs her notes and clears her throat. "Okay, so where should we start? Well, obviously the beginning, that's a stupid question." She looks up and Jade is smirking at her. "What?"

"Nothing. I just wasn't aware that you wore glasses."

Tori fidgets with them before taking them off with a shrug. "Just when I'm home. I mean, I can live without them but…" She rolls her eyes with a blush. "I know I look like a dork," Tori jokes as she puts them on again.

Jade snorts. "You  _are_  a dork, a pair of glasses can't change that."

"Har-har." Tori deadpans.

"But, I mean, some people might say glasses can make you look, you know, interesting or attractive or whatever so… I wouldn't worry too much," Jade says almost too casually.

"Some people?" Tori can barely believe it but Jade's skin reddens on her cheeks the tiniest bit.

"That's what I heard, I wouldn't know." Jade coughs. "So, History?"

 

 

Jade turns out to be a History geek. Well, okay, not quite, but to Tori, anyone with the faintest idea is a History geek. So that night after Jade leaves, rejecting the offer of staying for dinner– claiming it's one of the rare nights where her mom is home and she wants Jade there– Tori stands outside her front door, thanking Jade for her help.

"What? I can be helpful some times too," Jade shrugs, her smirk teasing. Tori's body sways a little closer.

"Well I… thank you, you've been doing a lot for me lately and I just, I wish I could repay you."

"Are you talking about-"

"The dating, yeah. I mean, this is helping me a lot; all we've done. I just want you to know that I really appreciate it and that if there's anything I can help with, anything you need, just-"

"I'm not doing it because-" Jade stops abruptly, pursing her lips. Her body has gotten all tense and her eyebrows all pointy and Tori doesn't know why. "Sure, whatever. Look, I have to go."

Jade is already leaving when Tori recovers from the emotional whiplash. "Okay, see you tomorrow…" Tori calls pitifully after her, but Jade is already inside her car. She gets back inside and leans against the door, pouting at the floor.

"Everything alright, kiddo?" Her dad asks as he sets the table.

"Yeah," she replies weakly.

But it's not. Tori has never seen Jade react like that, it's almost like she was… hurt? The last thing Tori wants is to hurt Jade, after everything she's doing for her, but for the life of her, she can't think of what she's done wrong.

 

 

Wednesday is weird. She expected Jade to give her the cold shoulder or something worse based on her reaction the night before, but Jade doesn't seem to be purposely ignoring her, she's just as relaxed and disinterested in everything as always.

"So?" Jade asks after the test.

Tori is pleasantly surprised that the girl is talking to her, so she answers with a big smile. "I don't know. Good? I think it went okay, I never know with these things. We'll see, I guess. How about you?"

Jade shrugs one shoulder. "Alright." She keeps staring at Tori, as if she's pondering something. "Wanna go to the beach?"

Tori does a double take. "The beach? Now? We still have one class left."

"Yeah, Sikowitz's," Jade points out as if it's self-explanatory.

But Tori is so glad Jade is not mad at her for whatever it is she did yesterday that she can't find it in herself to care about what Sikowitz will say if he doesn't see them in class. Actually, he probably won't notice.

Tori gets a text as they drive to the beach.

_Where are you? Are you with Jade?_ -Andre

_Yeah, we're going to the beach. Why? Has Sikowitz asked about us?_

_Pff no. He remembered he left the oven on and cancelled the class. Cat wanted to go for ice-cream but I see you're already BUSY…_ -Andre

Tori blushes at the tone she can hear through Andre's text. She's wondering if she should answer him when she gets another text.

_Why didn't you tell me that you and Jade are girlfriend and girlfriend?_ -Cat

"Oh my God," Tori mumbles as she buries her head in her hands.

"What?"

"Cat just asked me why haven't I told her about us."

Jade doesn't answer for a while and Tori ponders what to tell the redhead.

"Why haven't you?" Jade asks out of the blue.

"Uh," Tori blinks, "I don't know… I told Andre."

Jade nods, although she could be bobbing her head to the music, Tori's not sure. She pulls her eyes back to her phone and fires off a quick texts.

_I'm sorry, I didn't think about it. It's just for the audition though, remember what we talked at lunch the other day?_

_Oh… I thought it was like, you liked her and Jade found something she doesn't hate._ **-** Cat

Tori glances at Jade out of the corner of her eye. The girl has one hand on the steering wheel and the other is leaning on the window frame. The window is rolled down and the wind is fluttering her black hair everywhere but Jade's marble-like features remain unperturbed.

_I *like* Jade. And… I guess she doesn't hate me? It's just… it's complicated. Just don't say anything to her, okay?_

_Kay kay! I think you'd make a cute couple_ **-** Cat

Tori sighs. Oh, to be Cat and live the simple life, without a care in the world.

 

 

What Tori expected to be a terrible day, turns out to be great. She and Jade take a walk along the beach, stopping so Tori can pick up every single cute seashell she finds, to which Jade answer with a groan and an eye-roll, every time. That is, until Tori finds what seems to be the skull of some sea creature. After that, Jade doesn't complain anymore, inspecting the new piece of her collection instead.

After a mild altercation in which a kid hits Jade in the head with a beach ball and the gothic girl bursts it with a pair of scissors that Tori swears she materializes out of freaking nowhere, they buy some lunch at a hotdog stand and sit in front of the water to eat. Before Tori knows it, they are engaged in their usual bickering.

"I'm just saying, you can't go destroying other people's property just because they annoy you."

"It was a stupid beach ball," Jade answers dryly.

"That kid was terrified!"

Jade chuckles, her eyes fixed on the horizon. "Oh, he better be."

"He didn't mean to hit you. Don't you even feel a little sorry for him?"

"I don't like kids," Jade answers with finality.

Tori scoffs. "Is there anything you like?"

Jade's eyes finally leave the water and fix on her instead. She gives Tori a slow once-over, before looking back at the sea, her expression remaining impassive. Tori's left to figure out what that look meant, her skin burning, although she's not sure if it's because of the sun or the blazing intensity of Jade's eyes.

"I could tell you," Jade finally says, "but then I'd have to kill you."

Tori manages a small chuckle. "What? You like something embarrassing like… Spongebob Squarepants?" She says randomly.

Jade raises an eyebrow. "Spongebob is actually an okay guy."

Tori lets out a surprised laugh. "Really? I can't imagine you watching it," she teases, thinking she finally has something to poke fun at Jade with.

"I never said I watch it, Vega." Jade snaps. "At least I don't have a teddy bear named Lieutenant Teddy. Really, what were you thinking?"

Tori splutters, her ears turning bright red. "How- you- I was ten!" She defends, her voice so high, a passerby's dog barks alerted.

Jade’s whole frame shakes with laughter and really, Tori should have known better than thinking she could ever have the upper hand with this girl. Somehow, when Jade doubles over laughing, leaning on her for support, she doesn't care that much.

 

 

The next day, Tori doesn’t know what unnerves her more: Andre's questioning gaze– and okay, she should update him son– Cat's exaggerated winks whenever she's in a five feet radius of Jade, or Jade's ridiculously low shirt which, okay, it doesn't unnerve Tori as much as it does distract her.

And it's not like she usually doesn't take a peek, because she does, a lot. But God, she's pretty sure her eyes have been glued to that point all morning and someone is going to notice.

_Stupid Jade with her stupid low shirts and her stupid, perfect, round-_

"Hey, Tori." A voice stops her as she makes her way to her locker. And thank God for that. Tori doesn't even know what her thoughts are doing anymore.

"Hey, uh, Dylan right?" She asks the guy. He's a year above her and she's talked to him a handful of times, mostly about music. She knows that he plays the electric guitar and that he's not the sharpest tool in the shed.

"Yeah, that's me." He has an easy smile, a cute face. She had thought of the possibility of asking him out once, but it disappeared as soon as he asked how was it that Beck spoke English so well if he was from Canada.

"What's up? Haven't talked to you in a while."

"Well, I have some amazing news," he says excited, "I'm in a band!" He starts playing air-guitar and Tori's eyebrows raise to her hairline.

"You are?"

"Yeah, well, so far it's only me though." He doesn't seem too bothered by the idea that one person is hardly a band. "But I already have a possible drummer."

"That's awesome, I wish you all the luck," she says genuinely.

"Thanks, but uh, I actually wanted to ask you, because I know you're like, a super good singer and stuff…" he trails off, and she smiles gratefully for the compliment. "Tori Vega," he says seriously and Tori's smile falls, "would you be our lead singer?"

"What?"

"We can totally call the band something like, Tori and The Machine or The Toris, yeah?"

"Ah, Dylan, that… that sounds nice but, I don't know…" She rakes her brain, trying to find an excuse to let him down gently. "I have school to think about and I'm really,  _really_  busy right now. I would be a lousy band member, believe me."

"Oh…" he frowns, like Tori just showed him a really hard Math problem. "Well… think about it at least, yeah?"

"Sure," she lies shamelessly. Jade would be proud.

"Cool, cool. I'm gonna go to class now, 'cause you know, last time I totally forgot where it was and I was like, super late so… see you around?"

"Yeah, see ya!" Tori sends him the most sincere smile she can manage, but as soon as he turns the corner, she lets out a breath. "Phew."

When she resumes her walk to her locker, she sees Jade leaning back next to it, one knee bent up, her arms crossed and a not very friendly frown on her lips and forehead. Tori approaches happily but Jade keeps her eyes to the front.

"Hey," Tori greets. "You waiting for me?"

Jade doesn't answer, she just purses her lips harder.

Confused, Tori turns to her locker and starts putting her books away, stealing glances at the moody girl.

"So, do you want to do someth-"

"Who was that?" Jade finally says, turning fiery blue eyes towards her.

"Who was who?" Tori asks lost.

"That guy." She nods at the place she was talking with Dylan before.

"That?" Tori points with her thumb. "Uh, his name is Dylan and… he's a junior. That's as much as I know about him."

Jade turns her whole body this time and regards her with a cocked eyebrow and an expression that is half disinterested, half accusatory. "What were you talking about?"

"Nothing." Tori says quickly, like she's defending herself. Then she realizes, she really doesn't have anything to defend herself from. "He asked me if I wanted to sing in his band, but I said no."

" _Oh_ ," Jade says, drawing out the vocal. "So, that's what they call it now."

Tori wants to follow, she really wants, but she doesn't know what Jade is talking about. "What?"

"Do you like him?"

Tori laughs. "No," she says between chuckles, "why would I- wait." She sobers up abruptly. "Are you- are you  _jealous_?"

Jade looks like she wants to say yes for a second, but then she chuckles and gives Tori an eye-roll. "Don't flatter yourself, Vega. I'm just asking because, audition or not, you're still dating  _me_. And I don't like sharing."

There's a part of Tori, her most hopeful part, that doesn't want to believe that; a part that thinks that there has to be more to it. All the kisses, all the looks and the touches, this possessivenes, they have to mean something to Jade. There has to be a reason why she agreed to this in the first place. And when they’re together, when they’re alone, faces close and breaths mingling, she looks into Jade’s eyes and sees tenderness, vulnerability. She refuses to believe it’s nothing. Still, Tori swallows hard, pushing all her questions down her throat. "Okay."

"Okay," Jade shrugs easily. Like she wasn't a raging bull seconds ago.

"Uhm, do you want to, maybe, perhaps, skip this class?" She asks as a blush covers her cheeks. It's still nerve-wracking to look forward to a make-out session with Jade, even if they'd done it before.

And Tori, once again, can't help but let the hope flicker inside her when Jade's eyes shine with excitement, even if only for one fleeting second.


	4. Chapter 4

4.

 

Tori acts the scene in front of Jade, Andre, Cat and Sikowitz on Friday after class. This time no one laughs. Andre looks impressed, Cat is a little affected by the heaviness of the scene, Jade is regarding her with her chin on her hand, a serious expression on her face and Sikowitz is simply ecstatic.

"Good Ghandi, Tori. Wherever did that come from?" He stands and starts a small round of applause to which Tori responds with a beam and a curtsy. He's laughing as he continues. "I don't know what you did to get that- that  _badass_  girl out of you- and, don't tell me, because I  _really_  can't afford to be involved in another law-breaking deal, but  _congratulations_. I look at you acting just now… it's like I'm looking at a different person."

"Well, I had some help," she says awkwardly as she glances at Jade at the back of the room, who's staring intently at the floor.

"Well, it was great. If you act like that, I have no doubt you'll get it."

Andre and Cat stand up to congratulate her. Jade doesn't say anything.

"When is your audition anyways?" Jade asks as they make their way to the parking lot.

"Saturday." Tori is distractedly checking her phone and looking around for Trina, because the girl is supposed to drive her home but Tori has a feeling she has forgotten about her. Again.

"Saturday," Jade repeats, her step slowing a little. "That's tomorrow."

"Uh huh," she replies as she listens to Trina's voicemail for the third time. "I swear to God, Trina, pick up your damn phone or I- I'll burn every poster of Zac Efron you have in your room!" Tori cries into the device, then turns to Jade with a miserable pout. "Why is she my sister? Am I that bad of a person? Is this a punishment?"

Jade rolls her eyes and pulls her towards her car. "I think you're both punishment to each other."

Tori glares at her.

"Just get in, Vega," Jade says with finality and Tori perks up when she realizes Jade is driving her.

 

 

"Uh, my house is this way." Tori points through the window as they drive pass her street.

"I know where you live."

"So, where are we going?" Tori wonders if this is the part where Jade finally shows her true intentions, murders her and hides her body in the woods.

"My place."

"Really?" Tori asks surprised. She's never been to the West residence.

"Do you have something to do at home?"

"No, not really."

And with that, Jade decides the conversation is over.

 

 

"Your room is… peculiar," Tori says, choosing her words carefully. She doesn't know where to look, the skull collection, the shelves filled with stuff in chloroform vials, the posters of bands she has never heard about covering the dark walls, the soft looking, king-sized, four-poster bed. Entering Jade's room is like falling down the bizarre rabbit hole.

"Thanks," Jade replies dryly.

Tori watches as she takes off her jacket, then her boots, walks to her laptop and puts on some music.

"What is this?" Tori asks as the somehow hypnotizing music starts. She kicks off her Converse and makes her way to Jade's bed. She just  _has_  to sit on it and test if it's as soft as it looks.

"The XX," Jade replies stepping in front of her.

Having to look up at Jade seems fitting; Tori feels a little intimidated and a lot excited. And she has to avoid the urge to pinch herself when Jade reaches out and touches her face; a slow, gentle, feather-like touch with the pads of her fingers.

Jade tilts her head a little, like Tori is a question she hasn't found an answer for yet and brushes her fingers through Tori's long hair. The brunette gulps embarrassingly loud as Jade pushes her farther up her bed, following her on her hands and knees and Tori has the fleeting certainty that Jade West was a panther in another life.

Jade hovers over her, grasping her waist and rubbing her thumb over the sliver of skin she finds there, almost lazily. Tori gasps, Jade smirks, the steps are almost choreographed. But somehow, Tori can't pinpoint it, this time seems different.

Jade leans in and Tori closes her eyes, ready for the taste and the feel of those rosy lips upon hers, but instead, they snap open as well as her mouth as she feels Jade leaving wet kisses up her neck. Jade drags the hand on her waist slightly north and attaches her mouth to Tori's pulse point.

The brunette moans, then blushes at the embarrassing sound. Her hands grip Jade's back and their breasts press together. Tori's mind is reeling. They're in Jade's bed, with the door closed, she's not drunk and neither is Jade, and Jade is sucking on her neck with her stupid, perfect, round breasts pressed against hers. This could get dirty really fast and Tori doesn't know if she minds one bit. But she can't. She can't because-

"Jade," Tori says, just to say something. Just because she likes her name on her tongue or because she doesn't know how to say the other million things running through her mind.

"Tori," Jade replies with a roguish grin.

"C-can I ask you something?" And why on Earth is her mouth talking at this moment in time when it should be doing other, better things, Tori will never know.

Her permission comes as a cocked eyebrow and Tori squirms a bit as she battles with herself over whether she should ask or not.

"Why are you doing this?" She asks finally.

Jade gives her a once-over. "I thought it was obvious."

"No, I don't mean  _this_ , this. I mean," Tori sighs and Jade leans back slightly annoyed. "I mean, why did you agree to this? To date me?"

"I thought we went over this already," Jade replies dryly.

"No, we just- you just said that it 'would be fun', but, I think…" Tori frowns, "I don't know, I guess I don't understand why you'd kiss me or do… couple-y stuff with me if you- if you don't-"

Jade sits up abruptly and crosses her arms. She's straddling Tori's lap now, which would be much more exciting if the conversation wasn't so serious. Her whole body tenses and she looks away, pursing her lips. She looks like she's fighting her own internal battle, until she turns to Tori, the mask of indifference already back in place.

"Look, Vega, I told you: I like making you squirm. And yeah, I was bored and thought this would be fun," she shrugs. "As far as the kissing goes, well, I'm single. I just wanted someone to make out with and you're not half bad."

Tori takes a deep breath, the words hitting her like a ton of bricks. She shouldn't be this disappointed. She shouldn't have let herself believe in foolish dreams to begin with. But she reigns it in, like a good actress and nods at Jade. "Okay."

Jade raises both her eyebrows questioningly, "so, do you want to do something else?"

Despite herself, Tori shakes her head.

Jade leans down, her mouth seeking Tori's this time, instead of her neck. She kisses her hard, fervently, aggressively, with no build up. Lips glide over the lips again and again, smacking a bit when Jade pulls back an inch and licks them, tasting Tori's lipgloss. She's pulled back in by Tori's hand on the back of her neck, the other is quickly travelling down her back. There's an urgency, a sense of desperation, that wasn’t there before. They both know, this might be the last time.

Tori opens her mouth, letting Jade's tongue connect with hers. It's so damn skilled, that tongue of hers. Tori squeezes her legs together as Jade traces it around her mouth and then it's flicking at hers, calling her out to play. Tori feels a need, a raw instinct blossoming inside her and she pushes Jade on her back, biting her lower lip roughly then sucking it inside her mouth.

Jade moans and Tori feels herself get wet; it might be the first time she's made Jade make that sound. She wants to hear it again. She kisses down Jade's chin, her jaw, nibbling at the skin. Jade's hands shamelessly relocate themselves on Tori's ass and Tori puts her knee in between Jade's legs so they're in a tighter fit. But oh, she doesn't think, the moment Jade pushes her down the tiniest bit, her thigh makes contact with Jade's centre and the girl moans again.

Tori leans back to look at Jade, to make sure this is not going too far. Jade stares back at her through half-lidded eyes, and Tori wonders if her face is conveying as much desire as Jade's. With her flushing skin, messed hair and hungry stare, Jade is a real sex goddess.

She attaches her mouth to Jade's again, and her hand moves on its own accord to those stupid, perfect, round breasts she likes so much. But soon it gets tired of the rough texture of Jade's shirt so she bunches it up and some point, Tori's brain says  _fuck it_ and puts her hand under Jade's bra too.

She squeezes the soft mound in her hand, feeling and hearing Jade's hard intake of breath against her own lips. Her thumb swipes over Jade's nipple and Jade whimpers.

"Jesus."

"Okay?" Is all Tori manages to say through the hormone-induced fog in her brain.

"Yeah."

Jade lifts her leg and her thigh mirrors Tori's. There's a moment of doubt, a second in which Tori asks herself if she's sure she wants this to happen. This is not sex. They are not having sex. She doesn't want her first time to be with someone who  _claims_ not to have feelings for her. But, the sweet relief…. the answer is yes, yes God, yes she wants it so bad.

Tori rocks her hips down once experimentally. And she's a goner.

"F-fuck." She doesn't believe she's cursing. Actually, yes, as Jade squeezes her ass and rocks her hips again, pleasuring both Tori and herself, she can believe. Her head drops against Jade's shoulder.

"Do you want to stop?" Jade's voice is so husky, so ridiculously sexy. If melted dark chocolate was a sound, it would be Jade's voice right now.

Tori shakes her head no. She doesn't want to, doesn't think she can right now.

The music sets the rhythm of their rocking hips. Tori attaches her mouth to Jade's pulse point, and starts sucking, much like the girl was doing before. She's going to leave a mark, a Tori-was-here kind of mark, something so the girl never forgets that, even if she  _claimed_  to not feel anything for her, this still happened. Jade's too focused on her escalating pleasure to complain.

The pace of their hips is frantic now. The rough denim of Tori's jeans is rubbing deliciously against her clit and Jade’s black tights offer little obstacle for her to feel Tori's strong thigh against her center.

Jade whimpers and Tori tumbles over the edge at the sound, so intimate and vulnerable, coming from her. She bites down on Jade's neck, to muffle her moans as her body goes rigid, before trembling and shaking through her orgasm. As soon as Jade feels Tori's teeth sinking into her skin, she feels her orgasm hitting her like a train. Biting has always been a big turn on for her.

A couple of minutes pass. Tori lays limply on top of Jade, her face buried on her neck. Jade removes her hands from Tori's ass and puts them at a safer place, the small of her back, and tries to catch her breath. Her heart is beating like a drum, Tori can feel it. It's not calming down and neither is Tori's, because what they just did, what they shared, is much more that what they agreed to. This means something, at least that's what Tori hopes.

Eventually, Tori moves off of Jade. She doesn't go too far though. She lays next to her and stares at the ceiling, her hands at her sides. Should she say something? Does Jade want to hear it? She licks her lips, tasting Jade on them; Jade's lip-gloss, Jade's skin. She shuts her eyes tight.

A hand brushes over hers, then hesitantly, almost timidly, Jade intertwines their fingers together. Tori rolls her head to the side. Jade is still staring at the ceiling, but her hand is warm and reassuring in hers, so she squeezes and hopes Jade gets her message.

 

 

Jade's mom is who saves them from the awkward conversation. She calls Jade downstairs and with a muttered "be right back" Jade excuses herself. Tori takes the opportunity to clear her mind. She stands in front of the mirror, fixes her JBF hair– thank you, Trina–  and reapplies her lip-gloss. She puts on her shoes just in case she has to leave quickly, even though the idea of Jade asking her to leave makes her want to be sick.

"So, my mom knows you're here." Jade comes into the room and stays a good 5 feet from her. "She wants to meet you."

Tori does a double take. "S-she wants to meet me?"

"Yeah. I don't have a lot of people over." Jade rolls her eyes. "Anyway, she wants to know if you can stay for dinner."

"Uh," Tori mumbles. Dinner with your not-really-girlfriend's mom just after a dry-humping session on said not-really-girlfriend's bed; whatever could go wrong?

"You don't have to," Jade says dismissively. And it's that slight, almost imperceptible sign of insecurity in Jade's posture that makes her say yes.

 

 

"Oh yes, she loved baths. She would stay in the bath for hours. She would get all of her toys, even those that weren't water-toys, and make up incredible adventures. Pirates, aliens, scary sea creatures, you name it," Valerie, Jade's mom, recalls.

Ms. West is a young woman, about the age of Tori's mom, and looks very much like an older, more mature version of Jade. Her eyes are a bit darker and her hair much lighter (which makes Tori wonder if Jade dyes it) but apart from that, Tori believes she's staring at Jade 25 years from now. Much nicer, though, but maybe that just comes with age.

"Mom," Jade warns.

"What? Did you or did you not?"

Jade doesn't answer, fixing her gaze on her plate instead, her lips pursed in frustration.

"She's good at making up stories," Tori adds after a bite of her food.

"Mh, true. I wish I could go see more of her plays at school. But my work schedule is not… very flexible."

Jade sighs but says nothing. Tori’s not sure what’s Valerie’s job, all she’s gathered is that she works crazy hours, is a bit of a workaholic and has a very thick paycheck. But even if she’s mostly absent from Jade’s day to day life, she seems warm and caring, but also witty and with a teasing quirk in her smile.

"Oh, I think I’ve got some pictures of Jade and her brother when they were little around here somewhere."

"No!" Jade snaps. Tori jumps a little in her chair, but Valerie doesn't even flinch.

 

 

Jade is cleaning the dishes because it's her turn and Valerie and Tori are sitting on the couch, a photo album on Valerie's lap.

“That’s Elliot, Jade’s younger brother,” Ms. West points a young boy with dark hair and eyebrows. In the picture, a pre-teen Jade is pinching his cheeks and the boy is scowling. His grumpy face rivals Jade’s.

“Where is he now?” Tori asks, confused by the fact that she has never seen him.

“Boarding school.”

“Ah.”

Valerie flips to the next page. "She was eleven here; wouldn’t keep still for the picture. She was such a wild kid, a bit weird too; liked to collect bugs and watch shows like Goosebumps." Valerie tilts her head and adds as an afterthought, "although she still does."

Tori looks at the picture with a soft smile. "She looks really happy."

Valerie sighs. "She was. That," she points at a tall man just right behind Jade, "is her father. She idolized him. But after he left…" Valerie looks at Tori and waves her hand around. "She rebelled against the world. So bitter, so indifferent. But she's a sweet girl, under all that anger. She's just a hard nut to crack, that one."

"I know," Tori agrees softly.

Valerie squints her eyes at her.

"You're the one, aren’t you? The one who's been making her smile so much these past days."

"Uh," Tori stammers.

"She doesn't smile, per say. She just- she has this twinkle in her eyes, this bounce in her step. She's happier."

"That's- that- I- I don't think. She says… she says that-"

"Oh, honey." Valerie scoffs. "You must’ve learned by know that one thing is what my daughter says and the other is what she really feels. She got that from her dad; they love being an enigma.”

Tori listens eagerly, fascinated by this little glimpse of the real Jade that Valerie is offering.

“She can be upfront when she wants, true. But when it comes to matters of the heart…” Valerie tsks and shakes her head. “She’s good at making up stories, it’s… her defense mechanism, I guess. You just have to learn to see through them.”

Tori gulps hard and nods. "Okay."

"Hey… what's going on?" Jade asks as she enters the room, a suspicious look on her face.

"I'm just showing Tori your childhood pictures," Valerie exclaims innocently. Jade glares at her murderously.

"Tori has to leave now, right Tori?"

"Right." Tori agrees immediately. "It was really nice meeting you, Ms. West."

"Oh honey please, call me Val. I can tell I'll be seeing you a lot around here."

Jade mutters something under her breath and Tori goes to gather her things that she carried downstairs when they came down to dinner.

"Bye, Val and thank you for dinner."

"Bye honey! Jade, drive safely!"

"Yes, mother," Jade calls back.

The drive to Tori's is silent apart from soft murmur of the radio. Tori fidgets with her fingers, debating whether to say something or not and what exactly should it be. She finally decides on the most pressing matter.

"Do you think you could drive me to the audition tomorrow? I don't want to ask Trina."

Jade glances at her and sighs. "Fine."

Tori knows Jade thinks she's taking advantage of her, using her as a chauffeur. But that's not why this is so important to her. She just wants more time with Jade, more time until their fake-dating is not necessary anymore. More time to gather her courage and say something.

"Thank you," she mutters.

"Yeah, no problem."

They arrive at Tori's driveway and Jade parks. She stops the car. That's a good sign right? Tori has to say something.

"Look, Jade. I just wanted to tell you that, whatever your motives, I am really grateful for what you've done for me. And I don't mean the dating in itself, I mean everything that came from it. You invited me to your room, you introduced me to your mom, and you've shown me a part of you that I didn't know." Tori takes a breath. "You- you've changed me; I'm a different person, because of you. We've done things I would've never done on my own. We've  _shared_  things, I've never shared with anyone."

She can see Jade swallowing.

"And I'm glad it was you; I just wanted to say that. That I'm glad you said yes when I asked you that day in the janitor's closet."

Jade doesn't answer, she just nods, her gaze fixed on the steering wheel. Tori leans over the console and presses a kiss to Jade's warm cheek.

"Goodnight Jade."

Tori's hands are shaking as she closes the car door and makes her way to her house. That kiss, that simple kiss on the cheek, is their first good night kiss and somehow it feels like the last.

 

 

"Morning, Tori. Today's the big audition, right?" Holly asks when Tori walks down the stairs on Saturday morning. Tori grunts her answer as she rubs the sleep off her eyes. Holly shakes her head amusedly at her daughter, who looks much younger than she is as she sits at the kitchen table, with her owls with moustaches pajamas all wrinkled and a serious case of bed hair.

"Excited?" Holly drops a kiss on Tori's head and puts a plate of pancakes in front of her.

Tori shrugs, not a person of many words in the morning.

"I'm sure you'll get it, honey." Mrs. Vega glances at her watch, wondering if it's going to be one of those weekend mornings where she has to drag Trina out of bed and make her do something productive. She swears that girl could sleep all day if she let her. "Is Trina taking you?"

Tori gulps down half a glass of juice before answering. "No, Jade is."

Holly takes a seat next to her daughter with her own plate of pancakes. "Jade West? I thought you weren't really friends?" She asks, remembering that Jade was also the one that invited her to dinner last night and the one that helped her study the other day.

Tori shifts her eyes to her plate, her mom, and back to her plate. She thinks about her relationship with Jade, their evolution and the way they interact. "No… we aren't exactly friends, Mom."

"Oh." Holly stops eating for a second before resuming her task. "Is there… something you need to tell me?"

Tori ponders for a second if it's really worth it.

"You know you can tell me anything, honey." Holly reaches out and grabs her arm. "Me, and your father and Trina, will love you no matter what." Tori gives her a look. "Okay, maybe Trina will be a drama queen about it, but that's neither here nor there."

Tori sighs. "There's nothing to tell, Mom."

"Really? Because as much of a modern mom as I am, I still need to know if we need an open door policy when she's around," Tori's eyes widen, "and  _you know_  Trina will complain about it, if you don't get the same treatment she does."

"Oh my God, Mom," Tori chuckles embarrassedly. "Really, there's nothing to tell. I promise I would talk to you if there was, but there really isn't. Not after today," she adds the last part quietly.

Holly frowns worriedly at the sadness in her daughter's voice, but she has always trusted her and she's not going to start questioning her now. She knows whatever it is that's bothering Tori, she will fix it or come to her for help in her own time.

 

 

As promised, Jade's car is waiting for her on her driveway hours later. Tori climbs in with the wrinkled script clutched in her hand, and greets Jade softly.

"Hey," Jade replies. "So, where is this audition?"

"Oh." Tori fumbles with her purse and hands her a piece of paper. "This is the address."

With a frown, Jade takes it and nods once, before putting the car in gear. Tori thumbs the papers in her hands nervously, a lip trapped between her teeth.

Jade sighs. "Stop. You're fine," she says quietly.

Tori manages a small smile.

The drive to the audition is silent apart from the sound of paper rustling and Tori's nervous intakes of breath. Jade parks the car and turns it off, surprising Tori when she steps out of the car with her, but she doesn't say anything.

They walk into the building and follow the indications of a woman behind a desk. There's a waiting room, with only a couple of girls, one blonde and one brunette. The brunette stands as the other door to the audition room opens and a guy peeks out his head to call for the next.

Tori barely has time to see inside, before the door is closed again and her and Jade are left alone with the blonde girl and the elevator music that echoes softly from the ceiling.

The girl glances at them and Tori, always the sweetheart, smiles friendly at her. She sneers and slaps her phone to her ear.

"What is this Barbie doing here?" Jade snaps not so quietly.

Tori has to admit, the girl looks like a real Hollywood bimbo. At first glance, she can already tell at least four different parts of her body that are not naturally hers. When the girl utters the first words into her phone, Jade grasps at her arm and shuts her eyes firmly, like she's trying to physically restrain herself from shutting her up.

"You didn't say this was such a low class audition!" Her voice is whiny and nasal and Tori can see Jade's eye twitching. "No. Nuh uh. I don't know, you're my manager, this is your job!"

" _Manager_ ," Jade mouths at her mockingly.

"Well," the blonde gives them a dirty look, "if they let  _anything_  audition…"

"Bitch," Jade mutters.

"Fine. I don't care. No one can ruin my focus. But next time, make sure what kind of auditions you find me, or you can start looking for another job." Barbie snaps her phone shut and sends them the fakest smile. Jade steps closer to Tori.

"Wanna ruin her focus?"

"Wha-" but before Tori can finish her question, Jade has pushed her by the hips and is pinning her against the wall and swallowing her yelp with her mouth. A rush of blood settles in Tori's lower stomach and her script flutters to the floor as she snakes her arms around Jade's neck. She faintly registers a far away indignant, nasal cry, but she's too immersed in the way Jade's tongue is dancing around hers, warm and wet and strong, to notice the other occupant of the room gaping at them with an angry looking vein about to pop on her forehead.

Jade smirks against her lips though, satisfied with the reaction and Tori smiles dumbly, not really realizing why Jade looks so smug. Lean hips press against hers, and Jade rolls her head to the side, regarding the blonde girl with a cocked eyebrow. Tori watches them both, not really following the silent catfight taking place in the room, as she loses herself in the feel of Jade's hipbones against hers and the adrenaline shot that is Jade's kiss. She cherishes it; cherishes the bonus kiss she's received after thinking yesterday's would be the last.

The door opens and Jade quickly steps away from her. Tori misses the warmth immediately. The brunette girl comes out, followed by the same guy as before, who calls for the next in line. Barbie's still staring at them wide-eyed, a disgusted grimace on her face.

"Hey, Ms. I-have-a-manager-and-a-fake-nose," Jade mock-whispers, "it's your turn."

The girl squeaks offended, but nothing coherent comes out of her mouth as she stands clumsily and makes a bee-line towards the door; the exit one.

"Or not," Jade drawls with fake innocence.

"Uh, well, who's next then?" The guy asks.

"She is." Jade bends down to pick Tori's script and pushes it into her hands. "Go get'em, tiger."

Tori gulps and nods, squaring her shoulders with a deep breath. Jade is still there when she glances back one last time, but she's not when she comes out minutes later.

 

 

Tori feels the pain of the rejection weighing even more when Jade is not waiting for her as she comes out. She squeezes her eyes hard, willing the tears away, reminding herself it's not her fault. Turns out she looks exactly like the lead actress of the movie – and God, _again_? Does she really have such a generic face? – and as charmed and impressed as they were with her audition, they couldn't give her the role.

At least she knows she did well. Had she looked differently, they would've given it to her. It's somewhat comforting to know all her hard work paid off. And somehow, wasn't this incredible experience with Jade worth it all?

But Jade is not in the waiting room and Tori can't deny it anymore: it's over. It's all over. The kisses, the looks and the touches, that spark she could swear they both felt everytime they looked at each other, apparently, it all meant nothing. And now it’s time for everything to get back to normal, for her and Jade to go back to being two people who tolerated each other, with the occasional dash of dislike from Jade’s part. Her feet drag as she makes her way out of the building. She just wants to go home, get a big bowl of chocolate ice-cream and play terrible rom-coms on her TV all night. Maybe she’ll even call Andre and ask him to come over, cry on his shoulder for a while and tell him all about what a fool she’s been. About how this one bad girl managed to make her fall so hard and then broke her heart completely.

She pushes the entrance doors with her shoulder, already fishing her phone from her purse to call Trina to pick her up when she sees it. Her hand freezes halfway to her ear as she takes in the sight right in front of her.

Jade is leaning back on the hood of her car, her arms crossed and her eyes squinted towards the sky. Tori splutters as she approaches.

"What are you doing here?"

Jade turns to her and shrugs. "It's a sunny day." She tilts her head, inspecting Tori's face. "How did it go?"

Tori sighs, "I didn't get it."

Jade scoffs, "bastards."

"They loved my audition, but I looked too much like the lead actress."

Jade's eyes widen. "Wow, I stand corrected:  _idiots_."

A small smile blossoms on Tori's face. "Jade, what are you doing here?"

"Is something wrong with your hearing, Vega? I told you, it's sunny outside."

Tori crosses her arms and tilts her head, her brown hair falling over her shoulder and she gives Jade a disbelieving stare.

Jade groans, throwing her head back. "Ugh, I don't know, alright?" She walks around her car to stand before Tori and mirrors her position. "I was gonna leave, but…"

"You stayed."

"Well, duh."

Tori rolls her eyes, slightly annoyed and impatient. "Why?" Jade looks away, her boot-clad foot tapping incessantly on the ground. "Stop making up stories. Just tell me, Jade, dammit!"

"I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"Oh, I think you do," Tori says airily.

"Fine!" Jade snaps, "I'm confused, Tori. I'm confused as  _hell_. I didn't sign up for these- these things that I'm feeling. We weren't dating, it was just a means to an end to you and I was okay with that; at the beginning. Somewhere along the way you messed me up! This is all  _your_  fault!"

"What?  _You_  are the one who messed  _me_  up!  _I_  like you, you ass!"

"Well- okay!" Jade stammers. "Then I guess we should keep dating!"

"Fine!"

" _Fine_!"

They both look at each other, chests rising and falling with each deep intake of breath. Jade's usually pale face is flushed and her eyes sparkle with the thrill she always gets when she fights with Tori. But this time there's a different feeling swirling under the surface. Tori's lips quirk the tiniest bit and Jade's eyes zero in on them. Tori blushes, averting her gaze.

"So," the brunette coughs.

Jade rolls her eyes before stepping into Tori and grabbing her hips, much like in the waiting room. She kisses her, pouring out all the feelings she's been locking inside these past weeks and Tori smiles against it, a cheeky, goofy smile, so relaxed and free that Jade has to kiss it off her face.

 

 

**Epilogue**

 

"What are you doing?" Jade whispers as Sikowitz talks about giving bad news in a happy manner.

"Drawing," Tori replies.

Jade watches the hand that Tori just captured and is holding on her lap, a red pen positioned against her skin.

"Does it have to be on my hand?"

"Yes."

She rolls her eyes, feigning annoyance, when in reality, she loves the way Tori tickles her wrist as she thinks of what she's going to draw and the warmth of Tori's thigh under her palm.

The kid with the go-kart leaves the room and Sikowitz turns back to the class. "Alright, now let's talk about the new play I'm directing."

"Do I get to star in it?" Jade asks without taking her eyes of the red pen moving over her skin.

"Ah, I think it's my turn to star in one of Sikowitz's plays," Andre interjects.

"What are you talking about?"

The class erupts in argument, everyone trying to defend why it's their turn to be the star in his play.

Sikowitz silences them. "You see? Every time I cast a new play, you all get your panties in a pretzel. So this time, you people will choose your own roles. Andre, pick a role."

Andre picks Tommy, Beck picks Carter, and Jade picks Nancy.

"Uh, Nancy, loving wife of astronaut Walter Swain," Jade reads.

"That sounds important." Tori peers at her piece of paper from her seat. Her girlfriend shrugs.

"Tori!" Sikowitz calls.

The girl picks a green paper and reads, "Astronaut Walter Swain, husband of Nancy-hey! I don't want to be the husband!"

Jade actually laughs at her outrage. "Tough luck, Vega."

Tori frowns at her adorably and Jade has to bite back a smile. "Why do you get to be the wife?"

"Because I'm more feminine."

Tori gasps. "I  _am_  feminine!" She looks up at Sikowitz resolutely. "I'll just pick another role…"

"No! My box has spoken!" He cries as he prances towards the front of the class again. Tori falls back on her chair defeated and Jade leans into her.

"I still like you, even if you're a manly astronaut."

"Jerk," Tori mutters with her arms crossed firmly.

"You'd think they'd stop arguin' after they started datin'," Andre tells Beck confidently, who just nods, a little confused. It took them all a bit to digest this new development, and some were still trying to figure out their dynamic.

They fought a lot and they teased each other mercilessly. Mostly Jade teased Tori and she pretended she was annoyed by it. It was usual to see them fight over something stupid at Jade's locker, to have them passionately making out at Tori's moments later. Their friends were, for the most part, delighted with this new affiliation of forces. Cat just liked to fawn over them and Tori still caught Andre watching at them with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Jade was a tiny bit less bitchy and Tori seemed to have matured and relaxed in the little less than a month they've been dating. They each knew how to handle the other, calm each other down when they were stressed or what exactly to say or  _not_  to say at times. Tori's friendliness complimented Jade's mean streak, fixing some of the problems the girl created for herself and Jade's bluntness was teaching Tori how to be stronger outside in the cruel world and not take any crap from anyone. They bickered and called each other names, but when it really mattered, they were always there to defend and protect each other. They were two sides of the same coin.

Tori's parents accepted their relationship easily. Trina, on the other hand, wasn't too happy with the idea. She expressed her indignation for days, claiming that she couldn't care less if Tori dated girls (more boys for her) but " _please, not Jade, that girl is a psycho_ ". Trina was warming up to her though, slowly but surely, the same way Jade had slipped into Tori's heart while she wasn't watching.

"Are you done with my hand? What is this anyways?" Jade twists her hand to look at Tori's drawing. "A heart? Really, Vega?" Jade glances at her girlfriend, enjoying her pretty blush. "What- are these a pair of scissors? And a microphone? Jeez, you are corny."

 

**Fin.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has now a sequel that continues where we left if here. Check it out if you'd like. And as always, feel free to leave your reviews below, I really appreciate them.


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